


Love Is So Damn Hard, Why Would Anyone Want A Heart?

by bygracethroughkindness



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Emma Is Bi, Friends to Lovers, Multi, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-13 01:01:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10503159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bygracethroughkindness/pseuds/bygracethroughkindness
Summary: Even though Emma Swan keeps denying it, there’s definitely something in the air between her and her best friend, Killian Jones. However, Emma is too afraid to make a move. Then her ex-girlfriend Lily Page shows up out of the blew and gives Emma the opportunity to answer a lot ofwhat if’s?.That's when the real drama starts.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first OUAT fic, so I'm very nervous about posting it, but also very excited! :D I really hope you girls and guys enjoy it :D
> 
> Many thanks to [Nicole](https://fitastrophe.tumblr.com/) for being an awesome beta! 
> 
> Title comes from Miranda Lambert.

“For the last time, Swan – pineapple does _not_ belong on pizza,” Killian Jones said. “I own a restaurant, love, I know what I’m talking about.”

“Then _you would know_ it is the perfect combination of sweet and salty,” Emma Swan shot back.

“It’s disgusting,” he stated, firm.

“I will fight you on this, Jones. The more pineapple, the better,” Emma challenged. “It is delicious and your uninformed, unimportant, and stupid ass—“

“Okay, so we order two different pizzas,” Mary Margaret Blanchard sighed, feigning annoyance, but Emma knew Mary Margaret was too sweet to ever be annoyed by her friends. “Just like always. Why do you two fight this same fight every time we want to order pizza?”

Killian shrugged, and his lips turned up into a small smile when his eyes landed on Emma. She tried to ignore the weird flip her stomach did when he smiled at her like that.

“It’s their sexual tension – it’s weird foreplay for them,” August Booth smirked, but grinned when Emma shot him a glare.

“Because I am on the right side of history here, M,” Emma answered, diverting her attention from August. “And I never go down without a fight.”

“Yes, I learned that the hard way,” David Nolan, her adoptive brother, answered. “One time we were in a _six hour long water fight_ because someone couldn’t admit defeat. She was _seven_ years old at the time, and broke a windshield. Mom wasn’t all too pleased with the water damage in and around the house, let alone how much it cost her to get the car repaired!”

“Shut up,” Emma begged, as her friends laughed at her expense. 

“Don’t worry, love,” Killian assured her, as he put an arm around her shoulders. “It’s one of the many things we love about you: your insufferable stubbornness.”

Emma felt herself melting into his side, something she wasn’t going to think twice about. It meant _nothing_ , to either of them, and pinched his side in retaliation. “You suck.”

It was the first Friday of the month, which meant Emma’s friends all gathered at the apartment that she and Mary Margaret shared, for some take out, a movie, and some booze. As usual, David and Mary Margaret were snuggling on the couch together (they’d been dating for almost two years), Emma was sitting next to Killian, and August, Ariel, and Ruby just sat down where they wanted to.   

When Emma was 5 years old, she was adopted by Ruth Nolan-Swan. Ruth was a divorced woman who barely spoke to her ex-husband and her other son James (who lived with his dad), but she was the best mom Emma could’ve wished for; she was warm, kind, and strong, and taught Emma how important it was to treasure moments like these – quiet nights spend with the best friends Emma could’ve wished for.

Emma wondered what she’d done in her life, what kind-hearted deed she had done, that she deserved these people in her life. Especially Killian. She wouldn’t know what to do without her best friend. Killian was her rock, her confidant, the best part of her week. He always made her laugh, cheered her on, held her until her broken self was whole again. Killian always had her back. Even now he let her use his shoulder as a pillow, kept her warm with the arm he draped around her form, and made her feel cared for with the way his thumb stroked her elbow. 

Emma loved all her friends, but, yeah—Killian especially.

They met 5 years ago, when Killian and his brother Liam moved to the city of Misthaven to open their own seafood restaurant and Emma had been their realtor. They weren’t friends immediately – Killian was just a difficult client who Emma had no intention of seeing again after the papers were signed, but fate intervened.

Apparently Liam had joined David’s soccer team, August’s company got the construction job at the Jones’ restaurant, and the two brothers had taken a liking to Emma’s favourite bar, the ‘Pleasure Bay’. Within the following year, Emma had learned to go from ‘tolerating Killian’s presence’, to ‘the guy who she liked to have a drink with’, to ‘the person she shared a lot of inside jokes with’.

In the course of their friendship they’d overcome hardships together, like Ruth’s heart attack and Emma and Lily’s incredibly sudden and painful break-up, but they had also encountered a lot of joy together. Emma was there when Killian and Liam’s restaurant became a huge success, Killian was there when she celebrated finally selling Gold Manor after it been on the market for four and a half years, and when Liam married Elsa Arendelle three months ago Emma had been Killian’s date.

To a lot of outsiders it may have seemed like Emma and Killian were a couple, or that they were in love or pining over one another, but that was not the case. They were friends and that was all (well, _most_ of the time that was all). They both had fallen in love and dated different people. Killian had been in an on-and-off thing with Tink Evergreen for over two years before they called it quits the previous summer, and Emma had been seeing Lily Page for one and a half years before her ex-girlfriend took a job halfway across the country.

Killian had dated since Tink, but Emma hadn’t since Lily; she’d only had a couple of one night stands. Lily leaving her had knocked her off her feet, and Emma had lost her interest in romantic relationships. Lily had been the first person Emma had opened up to emotionally and physically, was the first who had her heart and Emma’s promise for a future, but she left anyway.

Emma’s heart was in bits and pieces, but her friends and family had helped her overcome her heartbreak and come out stronger. Time helped, too.

Killian knew Emma was never going to give another person that kind of power again, the power to completely crush her heart – she had made that very clear in many drunken rants. That’s why, she figured, he never mentioned what happened between them at Liam’s wedding.

“Pizza’s here!” Ariel exclaimed cheerfully when the doorbell rang, and the redhead jumped up to answer the door.

Ruby paused the movie and Emma got up to grab everyone a plate. When she returned, Ariel was sitting in her spot on the couch with the pizza boxes in her lap, but Emma didn’t mind. Sitting on the floor and leaning against Killian’s legs was comfortable too, and she got to stuff herself with pizza Hawaii.

“Mmm, pineapple,” she moaned when she took her first bite of the pizza slice in her hand. Killian, in retaliation, playfully bumped her shoulder with his knee, making her smile.

 

* * *

 

 

A knock on her door made Emma look up from the papers spread out before her on her desk. It was a Thursday around 1pm, and she was at the office looking through some house profiles that could be a nice fit for a new client.

“You can come in,” she said, expecting it to be a client, but happy to find out it was Killian who had interrupted her. Her smile grew broader yet when she saw he had brought along some food from his restaurant. Emma loved Liam’s cooking, and she could hear her stomach growl as the delicious scent reached her nose. “I’m starving.”

Killian gave her a look of mock-regret. “I’m sorry, love. If I’d known, I would’ve brought you some food as well,” he joked.

“Always so selfish,” she joked back as she made her way over to her couch, Killian right behind her. She propped up her feet in his lap and opened the food container he handed her, finding a delicious tuna salad waiting for her. “Liam’s the best,” Emma decided, when the first bite had hit her tongue. It tasted like heaven did, she was sure of it.

“Don’t forget the messenger,” Killian reminded her, smirking, and Emma rolled her eyes, amused.

“Yeah, the messenger is pretty great, too,” she granted. “I’m glad you’re here, I wanted to ask you something.”

Killian looked up, swallowing a bite of his sandwich. “And what would that be?”

“In a hypothetical situation, who do you think would win in a fight: a basilisk or a vampire?”

“Aye, love. A pressing matter indeed,” her friend grinned amused. “Are we talking Harry Potter basilisk and Twilight vampires?” he asked. The question led them into a very heated discussion about which vampires were better, and if J.K. Rowling had taken too much artistic freedom when writing her basilisk. The lunch was a prime example of their shared friendship: they laughed and talked about nonsense, while enjoying food and each other’s company. It was always easy between them, and comfortable.

“But, the vampire is immortal,” Emma countered, drinking some of her water.

“Vampires suck. Pun intended.”

“Yet you saw all of those Twilight movies,” she smirked, knowing he’d only went to the theatres because Ariel went along with every hype and had dragged all of her friends to the movies. 

“Precious hours of my life I’ll never get back,” Killian sighed dramatically and Emma chuckled in response.

Their conversation turned to the topic of the boat Killian had once bought as a fixer-upper, and was now ready to sail the ocean. Once Emma’s break was over, she turned to him with a smile. “Thanks for coming by with lunch. I missed you,” she said, while giving him a hug.

Killian snorted and she pulled back her arms. “You just saw me last Friday,” he felt the need to point out.

“So?”

Killian’s smile grew soft and his sky blue eyes made her heart skip a beat. They revealed to Emma that he knew exactly what she meant. “So indeed” he agreed.

 

* * *

 

 

 **YOU 6:58pm:** _Are you staying for dinner David?_

_Why am I wasting my text plan on that question?_

_Ofc you are, you’re more at MM and my apt thn we are_

_You should pay us rent_

 

**David 7:01pm _:_** _I feel like I have the responsibility to point out you, that you just wasted even more texts_

_As your big brother and all_

 

 **YOU 7:02pm:** _Whatever. I’m getting us Thai. You want_ _Thai?_

 

 **David 7:02pm:** _Always_

 

While waiting for her ordered Thai food, someone walked over to her. “Emma?” the woman asked, and the blonde recognised the voice immediately. Her heart sped up and her shoulders tightened involuntarily.

Emma looked up from her phone, which she was using to play a game of Candy Crush on, and looked straight into the walnut brown eyes of her ex-girlfriend. “Lily?” she breathed, surprised.

“Hi, I-“ she raised a glass of wine at Emma, awkwardly, obviously wanting to say something but not knowing where to start. “Can I sit with you?” she settled on.

Emma was too shocked to answer, so she only nodded. She hadn’t counted on _ever_ seeing Lily again. Ever. When Lily had gotten the job as VP of the pharmaceutical company she worked for, she’d packed her bags and told Emma it was a sign that they just weren’t meant to be. The job offered a huge pay raise, but Lily would travel a lot and barely be at home. Apparently, the brunette had decided their relationship just wasn’t worth those extra flights to come visit. A horrible fight followed, with slurs and accusations. The last time they’d seen one another, they hadn’t even talked; Emma had pushed a box filled with Lily’s stuff in her ex’s hands, and slammed the door in her face.

“What are you doing here?” Emma asked, as Lily took the seat opposite of her, and slid a glass of wine over to Emma.

“Getting some Thai,” Lily said with a joking tone to her voice, but she was still fiddling with her own glass of wine, telling Emma she was nervous.

“Funny,” Emma said dryly. “What are you doing in Misthaven City, Lilith?”

“I have a few days off and I needed to wrap up some business here. How’ve you been?”

“Fine,” Emma said through gritted teeth. Emma had decided not to touch the offered wine, out of principle, to let Lily know in a passive aggressive way that she wasn’t keen on being buddies. Or whatever it was Lily was hoping the chat would accomplish. But – goddammit – she needed that drink more than anything at that moment. “Perfectly fine.”

Lily held her gaze for a moment before she let out a pained sigh that made her shoulders drop. “Emma, I haven’t stopped thinking about how we ended things. I was awful to you and you deserved more—“

“Damn right,” Emma agreed, before relenting and gulping down half of the glass of wine. “We were together for almost two years, Lily! I did everything for you, I—“ she swallowed, the emotions getting the best of her. “Just tell me what you want from me, Lilith,” she demanded. “I’m very happy now, finally, and I don’t need this bullshit.”

Lily gave her a watery smile. “I’m glad you’re happy, Emma. It’s good to see I haven’t ruined your life—“

“Don’t give yourself so much credit,” Emma spat.

Her ex ignored her comment. “Have you—I wanted to come back, but I couldn’t because of work and I was sure you never wanted to see me again—“

“You’re right about that one,” she bit.

Lily winced. “Emma, please..” she begged. “Say the word, and you’ll never hear from me again,” she whispered. The brunette was silent for a beat, her eyes travelling over Emma’s face, looking for confirmation. Apparently Lily found what she was looking for when Emma stayed silent, because she leaned forward and softly grabbed Emma’s hand. “Or we could try again. I promise you I learned from my mistakes; I’m not the same person anymore. I love you, Emma. What do you say?”

 

***

 

David jumped up from the couch the moment Emma closed the door behind her. “Emma, what took you so long?” he asked concerned.

“Yes, Emma. You were gone for quite a while,” Mary Margaret added. “I almost had to physically restrain your brother from going after you.”

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” David noticed, still worried.

“I bumped into Lily,” Emma explained, while taking off her coat. “At the restaurant.”

“ _What_?” David and Mary Margaret exclaimed in unison.

“Can we eat first? I’m starving.”

“Uhm, _no_ ,” Mary Margaret said in shock.

Emma let out a groan, knowing full well that her brother and roommate weren’t going to let her eat in peace like she so desperately wanted to. They were just too overly invested in her life, too kind and caring, too concerned and protective of her, to let her deal with her ex being back in town on her own. Emma loved them with her whole heart, but at the same time she sometimes wanted to throttle them.

Running into Lily had opened a lot of old wounds. She was upset, hungry and tired – not the best combination in Emma’s book, so she took the food to the kitchen table and started eating. Between bites she filled in Mary Margaret and David about the conversation she’d had with her ex-girlfriend. Her audience was silent for a beat before they reacted. Emma’s green eyes never left her food during the telling of her story, until her plate was empty and her stomach was full.

“She can’t possibly be serious!” Mary Margaret eventually said, the tone of her voice betraying the anger she felt towards Lily.

“She seemed to be..”

“What did you say?” David asked.

“I don’t know..” Emma sighed. “It was so unexpected, and… _a lot_ , you know?”

“We understand,” her roommate said, with a voice that was full of love and compassion. “But, is it really a hard choice? She left you and you were devastated, but you’ve been really happy lately, without her.”

“I have been,” Emma agreed. “But, what we had was good. She was the first person I met that truly understood how it felt like to be unwanted by your birth parents, and to have your first memories take place in the foster system. She took care of me. We both loved good tv crime dramas and horror movies and cacti. The ending was horrible, but everything before—well, it was _good_..”  

David and Mary Margaret shared a look.

“Emma, we support you no matter what. You know this, but—“ David started.

“But, you can’t rely on old memories of what you guys used to be, to justify getting back with her. You’ve changed, the reasons Lily broke up with you are still here, and you’re not in love with her anymore.”

“How would you know if I’m still in love with her?” Emma snapped, getting annoyed.

The couple shared another look and it was getting on Emma’s nerves. She wished the couple would just spit out was one their minds, instead of having little telepathic conversations and beating around the bush.

“Well, _uh_ , just a hunch..” Mary Margaret mumbled, awkwardly.

Receiving the vague answer she feared she would, made the blonde groan out loud. Emma rubbed her brow, feeling a headache approaching. “I’m going to bed. I need to think,” she announced, before getting up.

“Good night, Ems,” David quietly wished her, as she left the kitchen.

 

***

 

_What if Lily had never gotten the promotion?_

_What if Lily would’ve agreed to have a long distance relationship?_

_What if she could still wake up in Lilith’s arms?_

_Was this Emma’s chance of a happily ever after?_

Those questions, and hundreds more, kept Emma from falling asleep. She had received a unique opportunity: to get back with the woman she once loved dearly, and to find out what the answer to her _what if’s_ were. It almost seemed too good to be true.

 

***

 

The break of dawn brought a new day. Emma was awakened by the rays of sunshine that seeped through her curtains after a sleepless night. However, the hours that Emma had wasted on overthinking had brought her to a decision. 

Mary Margaret had been right. Lily still had her job, one that wasn’t really compatible with the kind of life Emma wanted – a quiet, boring one in Misthaven City, filled with family and friends. More importantly, she wasn’t in love with Lily anymore. The future she once wanted, the life she once saw herself living with Lilith, was outdated. It didn’t apply anymore to the person Emma was.

She grabbed her phone from her nightstand, and dialled the number Lily had given her the day before. It was quite clear to Emma what she had to do; she wasn’t looking forward to it, but it had to be done.

 

* * *

 

 

Killian seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. Every time Emma texted if he could hang out, he told her he was busy, if he bothered to reply at all. Mary Margaret and David hadn’t heard much of him either, but it was far stranger that he was so silent towards Emma. An uneasy feeling, one that couldn’t quite be described as disappointment, settled in her stomach when she received those texts that only said _‘Plans’_. Everyone knew what that meant: he was getting laid.

Emma knew she had no right to feel jealous the way she did. She had made it quite clear to everyone she wasn’t looking for anything more than something purely physical, and that she wanted to remain unattached. Still, she absolutely _hated_ the thought that she had to share Killian with another woman.  That definitely wasn’t fair to him, nor should she expect him to feel the same way towards her.   

Her mind went back to Liam and Elsa’s wedding, where Emma had worn a pink knee-length skater dress with a deep, but classy, V-neck. Killian had never looked more handsome (and that was saying something, _jeez_ ) in his dark blue suit. They’d danced with each other all night, and Emma had had a blast; all her friends were invited, the food had been amazing, and the booze was free. After a few drinks too many, Killian had escorted Emma to the terrace where they could get some air.

Emma and Killian had been catching their breath and watching the stars, when Killian had wondered aloud, “ _’Marriage: Love is the reason. Lifelong friendship is the gift. Kindness is the cause. Till death do us part is the length’_. Fawn Weaver’s wise words,” he blinked. “I can’t wait to get married.”

“God, sometimes I forget you’re a three-hundred-year-old hopeless romantic,” Emma teased, and Killian had pinched her side in retaliation, making her squeal. “But, yeah, this wedding is the most fun I’ve had in a long time. It almost makes me rethink the life of spinsterhood I plan on having.”

Killian snorted. “I’ll tell Elsa her mission is accomplished then.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Idiot,” she said fondly, her green eyes finding his blue ones, as a thrill went down her spine. Even though it was chilly outside, Emma felt warm. And safe. And loved. It was an addictive feeling, one she associated more and more with only Killian lately.

Emma still didn’t know what made her do it; it might’ve been the effect of the alcohol she had at the reception, or because there was a lot of love in the air that night. Either way, she leaned forward and caught Killian’s lips with her own. He responded fairly quickly; his hand went to the side of her face, palm against her cheek and fingers tangling in her blonde locks. His tongue parted her lips gently so he could stroke hers.  

Emma could taste the rum on his tongue and smell the delicious cologne he wore especially for the occasion. Her hand had travelled to his shoulder and she was just thinking _what an amazing kisser Killian Jones was_ , when the spell was broken by Belle French, who alerted them that Liam and Elsa were about to depart and head off on their honeymoon.

They broke their kiss abruptly, and it had left Emma feeling disappointed and disoriented.

In the three weeks that followed, Killian was extremely busy with the restaurant. With Liam on his honeymoon and Killian left to do the work of both of them combined, Emma barely saw her best friend. There never seemed to be a right moment to discuss what had happened between them and after a while, it seemed like a distant memory; one that would never make it back to the present. Emma didn’t even know _what_ she wanted to say or _if_ she wanted to mention it at all. When the alcohol wore off, she was confused and shocked over the whole experience. She knew Killian would walk whatever path she chose. Emma had initiated the kiss after all, and that was just who he was; he knew her well enough to know that he should follow her lead in that particular situation. So, Emma chose to be a coward and let time bury the moment.

But when she thought about their kiss _now_ , it made her stomach flip and left her wanting more.

_Emma wanted more._

She found herself at the docks where she knew Killian would be, probably reading on his damn boat or something. He spent pretty much every waking moment on the _‘Argentum Cygnus’_ when he wasn’t at work or at her place. She hadn’t decided yet if she wanted to talk with him, slap him, or make out with him. Emma only knew she needed to see Killian, but the bad weather wasn’t helping her sour mood – it only reminded her how mad she was with Killian for being so distant lately and for the way he’d hurt her.

The sky was grey and the wind was strong and cold against her face. By the time she reached Killian’s boat, her anger had peaked. Emma wanted to know what she’d done to deserve the cold shoulder from her best friend, and to let him know she wasn’t having any of it. If the moment arose, she needed to tell him she was in love with him. Priorities, right?

“What the hell is your problem?” she demanded when she found him sitting in the boat’s cabin.

Killian looked up quite surprised, his blue eyes taking her angry form in intently. “Welcome aboard, love,” he said, with a glare to match her own, before knocking back the rest of his drink.

Emma rolled her eyes, annoyed. “I got the memo – you’re pissed with me. I want to know why.”  

“None of your bloody business, love,” he grumbled.

“Fuck off!” she yelled. “One moment we’re fine, the next you’re doing your best to avoid me. _Why_?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” he insisted stubbornly, his British accent even ticker because of the anger his voice carried.

“Too bad, because we’re going to. Now,” she crossed her arms and glowered.

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, or maybe it was the right thing, because that’s what made Killian crack. “Who the hell do you think you are?” he jumped up from the chair he’d been sitting in and came to stand in front of her.

“Your friend! Your _best_ friend,” she reminded him, upset.

Killian ignored Emma’s words, angrily poking her shoulder with his finger. “You just come in here, on my boat, into my life, making me love you. I tried so hard to— How could you get back with her, Emma? After _everything_ Lily did to you?!” he yelled.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I saw you two. On your date,” he said, an accusing bite to his voice.

“You probably had a few drinks to many—“

“Friday, two weeks ago. I was headed to Liam and Elsa’s for dinner,” Killian told her. “I walked passed the Thai place you love, and I saw you two sitting together. Drinking wine,” he spat.

“Oh, and _drinking wine_ equals going on a date.”

Killian’s jaw flexed, and for a second Emma was distracted. “It looked a whole lot like one.”

“Well, it wasn’t,” she stated, firm. “Thanks for asking, instead of just assuming, and being an asshole about it!” she said sarcastically, making him wince.

Both of them were silent for a moment, the only sound to keep them company the rough weather outside. “I’m sorry…” he whispered, heartfelt. The vulnerable look in his eyes drained all of the fight out of Emma’s body.

Killian was standing so close to her, that Emma could feel the warmth radiating off of him. She could smell his distinct scent; an aroma she wished she could bottle up, so she could enjoy it every time she craved it. It elicited a feeling within her that resembled a mixture of pure love and happiness, and it left her dizzy. The good kind of dizzy. It was at that moment she remembered what he’d said and what she’d wanted to tell him. “I love you, too,” Emma blurted out, voice now soft. 

“I know you do, but that’s not what I meant…” Killian sighed and he looked pained. “I thought that after Liam’s wedding things between us would change because you kissed me.. When they didn’t, I figured it was because you didn’t feel the same, or because you didn’t want to do the whole relationship thing. Then I saw you on your— whatever it was – with Lily..” Killian rubbed his brow. His face was a picture of disappointment, shame, and hurt. “I’m sorry for everything, Swan. For falling in love with you, for being an asshole these passed two weeks, for reacting so poorly when I thought you were into someone else… A true friend would just want you to be happy. I was selfish and you deserve better…”

“Yeah, that’s not really what a friend should act like, but I get where you’re coming from..” Emma started, finally getting the chance to speak. “I mean—if you would start dating someone else now, I wouldn’t be on my best behaviour either.”

Killian looked up, surprised by her words, and even a little hopeful. Emma quickly continued to relieve him from his misery.

“Listen, Killian, when we kissed— well, everything fell into place for me, finally. I just didn’t realise it right that moment, and I didn’t know what to do, so I did nothing,” Emma gave him an apologetic look. “I’m sorry I was so awful towards you, even if it was unknowingly done.”

“You could never be awful, Emma” he whispered, always the guy that never wanted to see her hurt.

“I love you too, Jones,” she said again. “It took me some time to figure it out, but I know it now. If you’ll still have me, I’m in this for the long haul.”   

Killian let out a sigh that seemed to release the tension from both his body and mind. A bright smile appeared on his face, and Emma swore it lit up the whole boat. His hands came up to her face and Emma knew she’d never seen anything as beautiful as his blue eyes, ones that were like glimpses of the brightest summer sky, as she watched them get closer and closer to hers. “Yes,” he whispered against her lips, before kissing them with his own.

Emma’s eyelids dropped closed of their own accord. She wished she could’ve stared into his eyes a little longer, but kissing him was even better. They probably should’ve talked some more, but that could wait. They had a lot of kissing to catch up on.

 

* * *

 

 

“What about _‘cutie pie’_?”

“If you start calling me that, I’m going to break up with you,” she deadpanned.

Killian chuckled, and the sound made Emma’s lips curl into a sweet smile. “What about _‘snuggle bunny’_?”

“You’re terrible at this,” she laughed. “And besides, _you’re_ the snuggle bunny in this relationship. You’re always looking for an excuse to cuddle,” she playfully flicked his nose.

“You love it,” Killian smirked.

“I do,” Emma agreed and he pecked her lips. “My dearest snuggle bunny,” Emma added, smiling.

It was a month into their relationship, and Killian had come up with the bright idea of calling each other cute (supposedly) pet names. Emma had only agreed because she was so head over heels for the guy, but she still couldn’t quite say the same about the nicknames he came up with. She knew he was teasing her, but still.

“My _blooming daffodil_?” Killian suggested, looking quite pleased with himself, the asshole. Emma had to suppress a snort.

“Warmer, but still doesn’t have that special ring to it. What about _‘my special pearl’_?”

“That’s quite a mouthful, love” he commented, on the brink of losing himself in laugher, just like she was. They were ridiculous – one of the million reasons why they were perfect for one another.

“Yes, but I’m worth it. This is the one – I can feel it, snuggle bunny”

“Everything for you, _my special pearl_ ” he promised, before the both of them broke their façade and burst out in laughter.

Tears rolled down Emma’s cheeks. Life was good. Amazing, even.  

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know if you liked - like I said, first OUAT fic, so feedback would be awesome :) And comments are just The Best :D
> 
> (For example, you can tell me if you're for/against pineapple on pizza?) 
> 
> xo [Poppy](https://fieldsofpoppyflowers.tumblr.com/)


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